Henderson sizing

[NCgirl7681]

Okay.
I am going to the dive shop tomorrow after many years of wanting to dive and the last year of deciding if I should try it. I was told by a poster that I should loose weight before trying to learn to dive. I almost decided to not even bother until reading another post by a plus size diver on this board who didn't give up and now loves to dive.

So, I am going to give it a go. (I am terrified I am going to spend the money and not be able to cut it) anyhoo. I have decided that I should get a henderson hyperstretch suit. However, I have read many post that say they run big. Since I am going to order it, I want to get the right size. I wear about 18/20 jeans & top size. I am a DD in the top. I was going to buy an 18 in henderson but, now I am not sure that is the right size.

Could anyone please give me some information?

 

[Xaryo]

Form the sizing you said, I think we are about the same size

5'3''
200lb
16-20 jeans/ top
and DD

If you go with the original henderson hyperstretch (not the H2), you should try a size 10 or 12.

I have a 7mm that is a size 10 and a 5mm that is a size 10 also.

It is hyperstretch, even if they look to small, they will stretch and fit perfectly. Moreover they are like pyjamas, so easy to don and so comfy to keep all day long.
I hope it helps.

 

[Ayisha]

Are you able to rent (or borrow) a wetsuit until you figure out if you like the fit? I would be loathe to buy a wetsuit without having at least tried it on first. Is there a shop reasonably close to you? Some shops will let you try it in their pool before you buy.

The measurements alone for the wetsuit do not give the whole picture. You don't have the vertical measurements such as shoulder to waist, waist to hip, etc. You don't know if you'll like the fit and the way it feels, and many suits fit and feel differently from others. If you do order it unseen, measure very carefully and make sure they have a good full refund policy. If any measurement is smaller than you need, you'll need to go up to a size that works for all your measurements.

Regarding not knowing if you'll continue, is there a shop near you that will do a free or cheap intro in the pool so you can see if you like diving first? Trying it out in a warm water locale as a discover dive will give you a good idea too. I wasn't sure if I could do it and I tried it via SNUBA in Mexico, then an intro in our LDS pool, then I did the course. I was surprised at how easily it all came together and it wasn't as hard as I thought. You sound like you have the drive to do it...

 

[fab50diver]

I PM'd you my wetsuit shopping experiences with much more detail. I love the Henderson wetsuits and they stretch beautifully. I especially liked the Xspan...great neoprene, very smooth and feels great on.

 

[tstormdiver]

I'm 5'6", come in at about 220# & wear size 22 jeans. One thing I have found about wetsuit manufacturers,...... they are sized for those who are tall & skinny. I typically have to wear a men's XL, which means I need to be about 6'2" for the suit to fit properly. The closest I've been able to find is a men's XL short from Xcel (only have to be 6'). Sad they can't make suits for the real world.

 

[Jersey]

NC Girl - as others have pointed out, I wouldn't rush in a buy a suit until you get into at least your course and decide scuba is for you. I would certainly want to try on before buying. Some run short through torso or tight around neck, stuff like that. Most shops have the rental or loaner gear.

No one makes anything for 'real bodies' cause we are all so lovely and different! I've got shoulders like a linebacker, narrow waist and well developed calf muscles.

For everyone (not just ladies) suits that are OTR (off the rack) can be altered. Henderson (based in lovely Millville, NJ) used to do in house alternations to their suits. Not sure about now as no one I know has needed any alterations for a while. Ask local dive shop, divers. Sleeves and legs can be shortened, torso taken in, things like that.

Good luck!

 

[Sea Lioness]

....One thing I have found about wetsuit manufacturers,...... they are sized for those who are tall & skinny. I typically have to wear a men's XL, which means I need to be about 6'2" for the suit to fit properly. The closest I've been able to find is a men's XL short from Xcel (only have to be 6'). Sad they can't make suits for the real world.

I have found that BARE makes some wetsuits for women that are a little better in their sizing options for women who have trouble finding a suit with the right combination of width and length. I am a short diver who has a similar problem with "standard" sized wetsuits, i.e., anything that fits my bust and hips is too long in the legs and arms. If I remember correctly, I believe that Aqua Lung also has some better sizing options for divers like us, although my personal experience is that the BARE suits (with the "+" designation after the size) are really good. They also have a "TALL" option for women divers with the opposite problem in matching hips/chest fit with length.

 

[Sea Lioness]

Okay.
I am going to the dive shop tomorrow after many years of wanting to dive and the last year of deciding if I should try it. I was told by a poster that I should loose weight before trying to learn to dive. I almost decided to not even bother until reading another post by a plus size diver on this board who didn't give up and now loves to dive.

So, I am going to give it a go. (I am terrified I am going to spend the money and not be able to cut it) anyhoo. I have decided that I should get a henderson hyperstretch suit....

I agree with the comments about the hyperstretch being a good option, and stretchier than it looks. Many other wetsuit manufacturers also have some type of extra-stretchy neoprene options available that you can check out, although each brand has a different name for it, so it's a little difficult to find them if you only do a search for "hyperstretch."

And I agree with the suggestions to:

Try discover scuba in the pool to see if you like it first, before committing to taking (and paying for) the full open water scuba certification course if you're worried that you might not like it. My experience as a scuba instructor is that pretty much anyone who has wanted to dive for a long time LOVES it when they finally do it, but most shops will offer a discover scuba experience for free or low-cost, so you have little or nothing to lose by trying it first.

See if your Local Dive Shop (aka LDS) can let you try on some different suits, or at least get a feel for the stretch of different neoprene materials of different brands before committing to which one you want to buy.

Last but not least, don't be discouraged by people who think that plus-sized women cannot or should not dive! They are wrong. Each individual is different, but please know that MANY women who are "overweight" (including those classified as "obese") have found scuba diving to be a very fulfilling physical activity. There used to be a group called "Big Adventures" that arranged scuba trips specifically for big women and their allies. Of course, you should check with your doctor if you're concerned about the physical activity aspect, and as you've already discovered, finding gear that fits right can be a challenge. But it is well worth the extra hassle and effort of getting good-fitting scuba gear, because diving is amazing. And, I repeat, there are MANY large women out there who are excellent divers!

 

[Beiji]

I agree that you should check out a Discover Scuba type experience first because once you start buying gear it never stops!

Leisurepro will allow you to return wetsuits that don't fit and ship you another size until you find the right one, at no extra charge. http://www.leisurepro.com/Popup/Content.aspx?Topic=PFF

 

[pitdvr]

I have 2 Henderson's and love them. I have size 14 and find that size to fit well even if I should lose some weight. I have done over 200 dives as a "robust" older woman. Go for it!